Chapter 399: What Should Come Will Come

Zhou Andong got off the bus at the entrance of the village. The autumn harvest was over, and most of the houses had rows of peanut stacks on the roofs, and there were corn fences in the courtyards.

"Woof woof woof..."

A half-grown black dog ran out of a courtyard and barked wildly at Zhou Andong.

Zhou Andong grinned: "Do you know that I haven't eaten dog meat for a long time? If you dare to bark again, I will stew you."

The black dog seemed to understand, turned and ran, reached the courtyard gate, looked back and bared its teeth, and barked wildly again.

"Old Black, don't bark!"

A girl in her twenties, dressed fashionably, came out of the courtyard and was stunned when she saw Zhou Andong: "Ya, Brother Dongzi, you were arrested..."

This girl reacted quickly and hurriedly changed her words, "Back!"

Zhou Andong chuckled: "Lingzi, when did you come back

Xiao Lingzi said, "I'll be back in September."

Zhou Andong asked curiously, "You haven't been back in over three years, why are you suddenly coming back?"

Xiao Lingzi said, "My mom called and said my dad is sick, and the crops can't be harvested, so she asked me to come back and help with the autumn harvest."

Zhou Andong asked, "Uncle Li is sick? How is he? Is there any major problem?"

"No!" Xiao Lingzi said, "It's an old ailment; he'll be fine after resting for a while."

"That's good!" Zhou Andong nodded, "I haven't been back for over a month either, I need to hurry back and take a look. You should come over to my place for a visit when you have time."

Seeing that Zhou Andong was about to leave, Sister He Xiaoling hurriedly called out, "Brother Dongzi!"

Zhou Andong asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Xiao Lingzi said, "You... you're alright now, right?"

Zhou Andong laughed, "If I weren't alright, would I be able to come back?"

Xiao Lingzi also laughed, "Are you... still working as a general manager at a foreign company?"

Zhou Andong nodded, "If you have something to say, just say it. Why are you still hesitating with me?"

Xiao Lingzi said, "My dad's health is poor, my younger brother is naughty and immature, and my mom is managing this household all by herself. She's too tired, so I don't want to leave anymore."

Zhou Andong understood, "You want to go to my company?"

Xiao Lingzi nodded, her eyes full of hope as she looked at Zhou Andong.

Zhou Andong said with a smile, "Alright, tomorrow go to Yuxi Real Estate on the sixth floor of the Air Force Building on Nanli Street, find Gu Qing, and just say I referred you."

"Thank you, Brother Dongzi!" Xiao Lingzi even bowed.

Zhou Andong laughed heartily, "Cut the formalities. As long as you work hard, my stage is vast; how high you can climb depends on yourself."

Xiao Lingzi nodded heavily, "I will definitely work hard."

"Alright!" Zhou Andong waved his hand, "Go inside, I'm leaving."

Zhou Andong walked toward home, meeting many people on the way who greeted him enthusiastically. Some of the older ones even pulled him aside to chat for a few sentences, as if, except for Xiao Lingzi, no one knew he had been arrested by the police.

It really was like seeing a ghost, Zhou Andong muttered. As he reached his doorstep, he suddenly saw that a house was being built on a vacant lot in front. At this moment, many people were busy laying tiles on the roof.

"Seventh Uncle!" Zhou Andong shouted at a middle-aged man walking over, "Whose house is being built here?"

"Dongzi!" Seventh Uncle said strangely, "It's your house, you didn't know?"

Zhou Andong was stunned, "I didn't know!"

Seventh Uncle said, "A while ago, county and town leaders went to your house to visit your parents. They said your house was too damp, which was bad for your dad's health, so the county leaders decided that the town would pay to build a house for your family."

Zhou Andong didn't build a house because there was no need. He was going to Jingcheng for medical treatment at the end of the year and didn't know when he would be back. Even if he did return, it was impossible he would come back to Tanghezi, so why build a house?

Now, it was the opposite; someone was worrying about things he didn't need to worry about. However, there is no profit without a motive; they must be asking something of him.

Seventh Uncle said, "Want to go take a look? The tiles will be finished today, and the carpenter is making the windows. Once the windows and doors are installed, and the interior walls are plastered with white lime and the cement floor is poured, it'll be all set. You'll definitely be able to move into the new house before the end of the year."

Zhou Andong smacked his lips, "I'll go home and take a look first, then I'll come over in a while."

"Alright!" Seventh Uncle said, "I'm going to the furniture factory; we're missing a piece of square timber, I'll see if they have any there."

Zhou Andong nodded, walked a few steps, then suddenly turned around and shouted, "Seventh Uncle!"

"Hmm?" Seventh Uncle looked back, "Anything else?"

Zhou Andong really couldn't suppress the curiosity in his heart, "Don't you guys know I was arrested by the police?"

Seventh Uncle said, "We know."

Zhou Andong asked, "Why didn't you ask about it?"

"Ask what?" Seventh Uncle said, "The county leaders came personally and said you wouldn't have any trouble, and that the house construction should continue."

"Fine!" Zhou Andong gave a bitter smile; this favor he owed was truly caught him off guard.

It was just that Xiao Qin had come back several times and didn't know about this; this girl was truly naive.

"You go ahead and get busy."

Zhou Andong walked toward home. When he reached the courtyard gate, he saw the little girl holding a small shovel, her bottom stuck in the air, playing with mud.

"What are you doing?"

The little girl was startled, dropping the shovel in her hand. When she turned around angrily and saw it was Zhou Andong, her little face immediately blossomed into a smile.

"Big Brother!"

Then this mud monkey pounced over, claws and teeth bared.

"Don't come over!" Zhou Andong reached out to stop her.

The little girl giggled, very unexpectedly taking a detour, and suddenly hugged Zhou Andong's thigh, smearing her mud-covered hands all over him.

Zhou Andong had black lines on his face. He picked up the little girl and carried her on his shoulder as he walked inside, "You stinky girl, see how I deal with you."

"Giggle, giggle..."

The little girl laughed loudly, twisting her little body, "Mom, help, help..."

Hearing the laughter and noise in the courtyard, Yuan Liying leaned against the window and took a look. Seeing it was Zhou Andong, a smile appeared on her face.

Zhou Andong carried the little girl into the house. Zhou Xiaoxin was clearly, and surprisingly, relaxed in his demeanor.

"I know my son; he definitely wouldn't do anything illegal. Look, he's back safe and sound, isn't he?"

"Hindsight!" Yuan Liying said with a smile, "The county leaders said you wouldn't have any trouble, and Gu Bing and the others came by too, saying that you were with them the whole time that day, and the police had no evidence to arrest you at all, so they would release you soon."

Evidence? Zhou Andong smiled bitterly to himself; this was an era that didn't reason.

If he hadn't served as the factory director of the Jiangzhou Winery, if he hadn't appeared on the news on CCTV, if Cheng Zhanjun and Deng Zhangli hadn't supported him from behind, if he hadn't had this little bit of fame, and if he didn't have leverage on Lin Guosheng, there was a high probability he wouldn't have been able to get out.

To seek justice, he would have to wait more than twenty years, until the era when the tigers were put into cages.

Chaotic footsteps came from outside. Zhou Xiaoxin looked back toward the window and hurriedly said, "The village head and the village party secretary are here."

Zhou Andong sighed in his heart; the house definitely couldn't be built for free. What was meant to come had come.